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Resident urges Planning Board to add setback for National Grid pole replacements to limit small-cell siting
Summary
At the Feb. 6 meeting, resident Jonathan Mirin asked the Charlemont Planning Board to add a setback line to the town's recently passed cell-tower bylaw so small-cell wireless equipment could not be sited immediately adjacent to houses; he asked the board to review and consider inserting a sentence to raise the variance threshold.
At the Charlemont Planning Board's Feb. 6 remote meeting, resident Jonathan Mirin urged the board to amend the town's new cell-tower bylaw to include a setback for small-cell wireless equipment near residences. Mirin said National Grid plans to replace poles near his Avery Brook Road home with taller poles that could be equipped to carry small cells.
Mirin told the board the new bylaw currently lacks a setback provision and that, as written, a small cell could be sited "0 feet" from a house. He asked the Planning Board to consider inserting a single sentence into the bylaw mirroring setbacks adopted by other towns so carriers would need to seek a variance and face greater scrutiny. Chair Bob Nelson asked Mirin to provide the precise sentence he would like the board to consider.
The board did not take formal action at the meeting; members discussed Mirin's concern as part of the citizen comment period and requested a written proposal to review. The issue overlaps with separate pole hearings mentioned by Mirin and the Select Board's role in accommodating pole replacements, which the resident said could set the stage for future small-cell installations.
Next steps: Mirin was asked to submit the proposed text to the Planning Board for consideration at a future meeting.
